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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26822449">Asuna Please... Don't Leave...</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/tigercry/pseuds/tigercry'>tigercry</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sword Art Online (Anime &amp; Manga), ソードアート・オンライン - 川原礫 | Sword Art Online - Kawahara Reki</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Administrator tries to manipulate Kirito, Alicization AU, F/M, Kirito wants to be home, Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net, asuna wants to protect kirito, sad kirito</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 00:15:28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,983</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26822449</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/tigercry/pseuds/tigercry</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Asuna gave Kirito strength, the courage to fight for something, the inner strength to go on even when all was lost and... and the pontifex could bring her to him! He could be reunited with his beloved lightning flash!<br/>But it was almost too good to be true, was... was this even a possibility?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kirigaya Kazuto | Kirito/Yuuki Asuna | Asuna</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Asuna Please... Don't Leave...</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Admittedly Alicization is one of my least favorite arcs, being that Asuna's virtually nowhere, but after seeing episode 19 of the new anime and hearing the ending song I couldn't resist :P Although this is an AU, part of my new world where Asuna's permanently injured IRL after Sugou and lives her life almost always in a wheelchair.<br/>(Written 2019)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kirito's eyebrows furrowed and twitched, and the black-haired young adult roared with frustration, anger, and confusion, something was clouding his mind, his judgment, impairing it.</p><p>"I'll take you to her," The pontifex promised the Black Swordsman, "if you submit to me I'll take you to Asuna Kirito," her purple eyes were falsely gentle, and for a moment Eugeo and Alice could've sworn her eyes flashed amber, but Kirito's onyx colored eyes focused on the pontifex's at the flash of amber, and tears welled in his eyes.</p><p>"Asuna?" His voice was barely a whisper, like he couldn't believe whoever he was talking about was there.</p><p>"Asuna?" Eugeo echoed, confused. Who was Asuna?</p><p>The pontifex seemed to know who it was however, and sat down on the edge of the bed behind her, nodding slightly with a gentle smile. Pretending to be who Kirito saw instead of her.</p><p>Kirito's eyes sparkled with tears and the young adult gave a heaving breath, fighting his tears.</p><p>"Kirito!" Alice suddenly spoke up in a sharp tone from where she was sprawled on the ground, her own sword still impaling her body, "the pontifex is attempting to mislead you!" Her blue eyes were panicked like she could see some of what Kirito was seeing, "she is not who you think she is!"</p><p>Kirito shook slightly and his eyebrows knitted together in a distressed fashion. "I can't… I can't do this Asuna," he said through gasping breaths, fighting with his emotions. "I can't… not without you…"</p><p>The pontifex lifted her arms toward Kirito, who moved toward her with a half sob, only to be stopped by Eugeo who yanked him back, "Kirito!" The blonde firmly grasped his friend's shoulders, "listen to me! That's not…" he trailed off as a forgotten memory came to mind and at the sight of Kirito's mental state.</p><p> </p><p>"<em>Honestly Kirito!" A girl with orange hair and amber eyes huffed with her hands on her hips standing above Eugeo's best friend, "are you really going to make Eugeo do all the work?"</em></p><p>
  <em>Eugeo snorted when his friend rolled his eyes and pulled her down onto the grass by the hand.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Ooph!" The girl squealed when Kirito dragged her down to be sitting on her knees. The amber eyed girl huffily smoothed out her white sleeveless dress and adjusted the thin wooden training rapier and sheath at her waist to keep it from poking her in the ribs. She also reached behind her head and straightened out the white bow and ribbon weaved into her braid.</em></p><p>"<em>Come on Asuna, we've been working all morning, there's nothing wrong with relaxing every once in a while." Kirito snorted and grinned before he sat up and promptly pulled her wooden rapier from the sheath and stood up.</em></p><p>"<em>Hey! Kirito give it back! I'll get in trouble if you hurt yourself!" Asuna panicked and scrambled back up to her feet, even as Kirito gripped the rapier in a slightly goofy stance. Holding the weapon in a way that clearly wasn't how you were supposed to hold the toothpick thin rapier that was much more delicate than how Kirito was holding it.</em></p><p>"<em>One day after we cut down this stupid tree I'm going to be a swordsman! And I'm going to protect you Asuna!" Kirito grinned before he then swung the thin sword. However, he didn't judge how how light it was, and the weapon flew from his hands to embed itself into the Great Cider.</em></p><p>"<em>Aaah!" Asuna shrieked and grabbed Kirito by the collar and yanked him to her, amber eyes smoldering like orange coals . "You idiot! Now what am I going to do?! I needed my sword for training!"</em></p><p>
  <em>Eugeo snorted and tried to hold in his laughter at the fear in his best friend's eyes at the murderous intention in their other friend's eyes. Watching as Asuna released Kirito, who fell backward onto his butt with a thump, and started ranting, gesturing wildly while stomping over to her sword. The short girl with long hair then yanked on her sword and strained to pull it out of the massive tree, cursing Kirito under her breath.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Eventually Eugeo couldn't resist and he burst out laughing, howling with laughter.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Eugeo blinked, "Asuna…" He murmured, even as Kirito shook harder, his confused onyx colored eyes looking heartbroken and defeated.</p><p> </p><p>"<em>Get out of the way! Move!"</em></p><p>
  <em>Eugeo hastily ran after Kirito, on his friend's heels with the blood rushing through his ears. They had already lost Alice six years ago, they couldn't lose another friend now! No, Asuna was more than just a friend to one of them.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Someone blocked their path toward the man they were chasing who was running toward a horse with their treasured friend in their arms. His grey eyes were firm and yet understanding. "I can't allow you two to get in the way, she's too injured for us to treat her here, you both know that. She's getting worse every day."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Kirito tried to move past him multiple times, "let me pass damn you!" His onyx colored eyes were panicked and frustrated, "you can't take her from me!" He yelled out her name, struggling against the man who had now grabbed him and was holding him back, "Asuna! Asuna!"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Eugeo hesitated for half a second before he took a deep breath to muster up his courage, and socked the bigger man in the stomach, forcing him to release Kirito. "Sorry," he muttered and hastily ran after his friend, "he just wants to see her."</em>
</p><p>"<em>Stop! Please!" Kirito yelled as they ran, "please wait!"</em></p><p>
  <em>The man, who was about to get on the horse, paused, and looked down at the mostly hidden girl in his arms, only to turn around and wait for them, a sad smile on his face.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>When he turned around, it revealed the sick and injured girl, his own daughter, who needed a treatment the village didn't have.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Asuna was thinner than ever, her skin was white but her cheeks were flushed with illness, her eyes were tired, and her breathing was still a little wheezy.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Kirito slowed to a stop in front of her alongside Eugeo, who watched quietly as Kirito gently grasped Asuna's hand, trembling slightly.</em>
</p><p>"<em>What… what am I supposed to do… without you?" Kirito asked the injured girl quietly and Asuna coughed before she gave a slight smile and shakily brought their joined hands up to her lips.</em></p><p>
  <em>Her lips softly brushed over Kirito's knuckles before her arm sagged and she spoke hoarsely with a smile. "You have Eugeo, and I'll come back some day, when I'm strong enough."</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Eugeo pulled his friend into a hug, "Asuna's in your heart Kirito, don't listen to the pontifex, what she's promising isn't love! She's manipulating you!"</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Eugeo only knew the half of it. Kirito missed her, he missed Asuna so much, she was what gave him strength, and he had been ripped from her, taken away from her when she had been vulnerable and they had been attacked. He didn't even know if she was okay or if Johny Black had gotten to her too. She was strong yes, but she was also physically weak and impaired. Asuna was in a wheelchair IRL, she had been since SAO and Sugou, with failed nanotech in her spine and nerves that made it extremely difficult for her muscles to voluntarily move, and while she could stand for a few minutes tops, she resided more comfortably in her wheelchair at her sister Kizmel's house where everything was slightly shortened and lowered to make it easier for her.</p><p>Kirito struggled, feeling the confusion overpowering his mind and making it hard to believe he would ever make it home, to the one he loved. She had worked with him in Rath for a little while, growing up with him, Eugeo, and Alice as Asuna with a swordswoman calling only to get grievously injured and couldn't handle going back in with the damage to her character's spine. It had been a hit too close to home, something they both had agreed on and taken a break from. Asuna hadn't come back, while Kirito had continued, and now Kirito was regretting not talking to Kikoka and fixing his character to aid her. Eugeo was his best friend here, practically his brother, but he missed Asuna, he wanted her to be there with him.</p><p>"I'll bring Asuna here in exchange for your submission," the pontifex spoke, and Kirito hesitated before something suddenly came to mind.</p><p>He remembered a conversation he had with Asuna what felt like a lifetime ago IRL, six months after SAO's fiasco and adjusting to Asuna's physical complications because of the NerveGear and Sugou along with her life before SAO. He had been talking to his AI daughter Yui that afternoon, about what love really was while Asuna had a check up on her spine and health in general. As of late the girl had been coughing a little, and he had been relieved to hear that she wasn't sick, she just wasn't mobile enough. However, late that night, with most of her coughing having gone away, Yui's question of 'papa, what exactly is love?' had been on his mind.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>It was quiet, like the world was sluggishly asleep around them, both inside and outside of the house. Tilnel was asleep down stairs, Kirito having kicked the dog out late in the evening to prevent her from jumping on him again, and Kizmel was out with her and Asuna's parents, likely discussing Asuna's health without the strawberry blonde knowing, so it was just them.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Kirito's mind was buzzing awake and fully aware while his companion was likely half asleep after earlier. He couldn't see her face, it was too dark with the curtains closed, but he could hear her heartbeat and her rough semi-slow breathing, which usually meant she was still awake, even just partially.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Then he felt a muscle near one of her ankles twitch, and the hand she had been using to card through his hair till she dozed off, moved again through his hair. The permanently injured warrior gave a groan of annoyance at one of her muscles twitching, but didn't ask him to get up and help it stop since she couldn't by herself. EIther way, she was definitely awake now.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Hey Asuna?" He asked quietly, hoping he didn't wake her if she had been asleep.</em></p><p>"<em>Hmm?" Asuna responded a moment later and her other hand, fingers entwined with his, adjusting their fingers to make it more comfortable for her slimmer fingers. "I didn't think you were still awake," her voice was sleepy and a more than a little worn out.</em></p><p>"<em>Nah, I've been thinking actually." He turned his head slightly and lazily brushed his lips over her skin, lightly kissing her collarbone, "and I want to ask you something."</em></p><p>"<em>mkay," Asuna hummed a response, "what is it Kirito-kun?"</em></p><p>
  <em>Kirito took a second to think, thinking how he wanted to ask her before he lifted her hand from his hair, reached across her to pick up the little remote that controlled the bedroom lights and curtains. Before he turned on the lights onto the lowest setting that was barely anything more than what a few candles would do blinked a few times to focus his vision. He then gently tugged the blankets up further when she shivered slightly at the lack of his body heat and looked at her. "Yui asked me a question this afternoon, and I wanted to ask you the same one. She asked me what love was, and what you do with it."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Asuna pushed herself up into a sitting position next to him, holding the blankets up to her chest as she did so, and seemed to think about it for a few moments.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Meanwhile Kirito leaned over and snagged one of the clean shirts draped over desk chair that he had forgotten here last week before he leaned back and gave it to her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Asuna gave him a look, her cheeks turning pink, and Kirito obediently turned his head away from her even though there was a cheeky smile on his face. "Sounds like a question Yui-chan would ask," she said in an affectionate tone and tapped Kirito's shoulder when she was finished slipping the shirt on. "To be honest I don't know how to answer Kirito, there's so many ways to describe love and what you can do with it."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Kirito nodded and turned to face her, his cheeks going slightly pink as well. The shirt had been a collared one, a dark grey one that was too big on Asuna's slender frame, Asuna had left the top three buttons undone, and Kirito thought she had never looked any more beautiful as she leaned on one of her arms while she used the other to tuck the blankets under her knees. So he shifted his position to be kneeling on the bed before sliding one arms under Asuna's unresponsive legs at the knee and circled his other arm around her back. "Don't think about it too much, if you do you'll over think it Hun."</em>
</p><p><em>Asuna nodded slid her arms around his neck while Kirito carefully released her back and moved onto his hand and knees, carrying Asuna's legs while she held onto his neck and shoulders. He made it to the headboard, pushed the pillows out of the way and sat down with Asuna sitting in his lap. He carefully positioned her legs for her, having gotten used to her inability to move below her hips due to a combination of things after SAO. "Well…"</em> <em>The strawberry blonde murmured as she leaned comfortably against him, "Love is… it's the emotion that empowers us to perform miracles and beat impossible odds." Asuna's amber eyes were lighting up, and Kirito watched, listening attentively as she described love in the best way possible. "It's something that teaches us important lessons and can be mistaken for greed even to go as far as claiming someone else as your property, and it's essential to life. Our lives in particular." She smiled lovingly at him, "without you and Yui I wouldn't have made it through SAO, you two are the reason I had the strength to live through it and take care of myself. We cleared SAO together, I saved you and you saved me in return from Sugou."</em></p><p>"<em>But not without a price," Kirito sighed and looked slightly sadly at her legs. While Asuna looked to be in perfect health from head to toe, she was essentially paralyzed. She had feeling all the way through her body, but her nerves rarely stimulated her muscles to move voluntarily.</em></p><p>
  <em>Asuna giggled, "I was in a wheelchair and on crutches before SAO Kirito remember? Like I've told you before, I've never been very stable upright for long, so even Sugou's attempt to inject some nano tech into my spine didn't mess up too much that wasn't already messed up. Okay so my muscles don't work anymore, big deal when I was already in a wheelchair on and off for seven years. Instead," she snuggled closer to him, "I have you, and I'll gladly trade the ability to walk to be with the person that loves me unconditionally. Love is the attachment I have to you, the thing that pulls us together and make us even stronger than we thought possible." She reached over and cupped one of his cheeks, amber eyes twinkling in the soft lighting. "I love you Kirito-Kun…"</em>
</p><p> </p><p>"<em><strong>Love is not something you trade or exchange, it's something you grow and gain at someone else's side…."</strong></em> Kirito heard someone softly whisper in his ear, their breath softly tickling his skin. The voice was familiar, gentle, and soothing with a loving tone he knew so well. "<strong>Love is the thing that pulls us together Kirito, no matter where either of us are. I'm always with you…"</strong> Kirito choked up, his throat closing up slightly while he fell to his hands and knees, fighting his tears. "<strong>Be strong, trust that I'm with you in spirit… I will find a way to come back to you, I always do…"</strong></p><p>"Asuna…" Kirito choked, his shoulders trembling rather violently, "Asuna…"</p><p>"<strong>I'm here Kirito,"</strong> Kirito felt a soft hand rest on his shoulder and he turned his head to see a mostly transparent form of a beautiful girl with amber eyes and chestnut colored hair. Her hair waved softly in a non existant breeze and her eyes twinkled peacefully. She was kneeling next to him, one of her hands resting on his shoulder.</p><p>She was wearing the gear he had seen her character here in the Underworld wear after her training that consisted of a pure white outfit. She wore a dress with no sleeves, only a thin strip of cloth that went around her upper arm that turned to ribbon that she wound around her arms that formed snug white fingerless glove like cloth that covered her palms left most of the back of her hands bare. The dress ended in a miniskirt and had thin metal plating at the waist to protect her while her chest and upper stomach was shielded by a silver breastplate. Around her shoulders and attached to her breastplate was a long flowing white cape that whipped around her booted ankles and hid her rapier from sight.</p><p>"Asuna?" Kirito croaked, staring at the transparent form in front of him while the others were just as entranced as he was, "is that… really you?"</p><p>Asuna stood up and gently pulled him to his feet, "<strong>in a way, yes."</strong> She placed a hand over where Kirito's heart was, "<strong>I'm the part of Asuna you carry in your heart,"</strong> she smiled gently at him, "<strong>the part of her in your fluctlight."</strong></p><p>Kirito's eyes widened and he stared, "in my f-fluctlight?"</p><p>Asuna dipped her head in a small nod, "<strong>yes and I'm here to help you."</strong></p><p>Kirito's eyes welled with tears and he seized the transparent but solid form of his significant other in a tight embrace, unable to believe she was there, even just in spirit.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>"Noo… not after… not after Eugeo," Kirito cradled the flickering form in his arms, "d-don't leave me!" The broken swordsman's voice raised into a wail, "I need something to fight for! Please don't leave Asuna, please!"</p><p>The transparent form of Asuna flickered again, and the wounded warrior's head lolled so that her cheek was resting against his chest and her amber eyes forced themselves open. Her largest injury was the massive red slash from her left shoulder to the right side of her waist, where she should've been bleeding, but wouldn't bleed being not completely human. "I'm sorry…" she breathed, and Kirito's heart stopped, recognizing this same situation from SAO years ago.</p><p>"Don't go…" He breathed in a whimper, tears stinging his cheeks, "Eugeo's gone too."</p><p>Her fingers were cold to the touch as she rested them softly against his cheek for a few moments before her strength faded and her arm dropped to her stomach. "I'll come back, I always come back Kirito."</p><p>Kirito felt a lump growing in his throat, "but I need you here, now, with me… I can't do this alone!"</p><p>Asuna's amber eyes grew tired and she half closed them, "I'm tired," she smiled weakly, "do you mind if I use your lap?"</p><p>Kirito nodded numbly after a moment and watched as she feebly snuggled closer to him, her face pressed against his shirt, her form flickering again.</p><p>"Hold on for me?" Asuna asked weakly as she pulled back a little and looked at him through pained and tired eyes. "Till I come back?"</p><p>Kirito swallowed hard and nodded, still unable to speak. He watched as Asuna nestled her face back into his shirt and gave a tired sigh before her form flickered once, then twice, and then vanished completely, leaving no trace that she was there. He stayed where he was for a few moments before he then buried his head into his hands, shaking. He felt numb after he managed to pull himself together, and even communicated with Kikouka through the GM console without thinking. The fight going on did startle him a little, but it didn't break his numb shell. Only the sound of a voice he just heard save his life and disappear shook his free.</p><p>"Kirito-kun!"</p><p>The affectionate nickname confirmed to Kirito who it was, and he stared at her, taking in every detail of her face.</p><p>Asuna was sitting in a wheelchair that he knew wasn't hers, hers was red and white not dull gray, and she was staring back at him. She was wearing a white blouse with the collar and top button undone paired with burgundy red pants, had sunglasses perched on top of her head, and dark brown flats on her feet, and the necklace he had given her hanging around her neck and the engagement ring still on her left ring finger.</p><p>"A...su...na…" Kirito croaked, putting his hands to his side of the glass and looking back at her, tears brimming in his eyes.</p><p>"Asuna we need to get out of here," Kikuoka started nervously, only to give a sharp hiss when the girl rolled over his toes in her haste and heaved her body up and into a shaky standing position, something they had been working on for years.</p><p>Asuna wasn't very good at it still, but it was miracle with her disability that she could walk and stand even if only for a small amount of time. Still, by the way her body was shaking he knew she had over done it recently and hurt herself again, something she seemed to have a habit of. "I'm working on getting you out of there," she said quietly, her amber eyes desperately searching his onyx colored ones, her body trembling as she fought to stay upright leaning on the computer in front of her. "Just hang in there a little longer."</p><p>Kirito blinked back his tears, "I want to see you again," he whispered, "I want to go home to you and Yui."</p><p>Tears misted Asuna's eyes as well and she shakily lifted one of her hands and place it where his was, her smaller hand placed directly over his. "I know, I want you to come home too, I'll figure it out, I'll come and get you when I can okay?"</p><p>Kirito nodded, noticing Kikouka looking nervously at the door at the back of the room. "I'm fighting for you," he croaked quietly, "just for you Asu."</p><p>Asuna blinked and a few tears slipped down her cheeks, her lower lip wobbling slightly. "I'm fighting for you too, Kirito-kun." She was trembling from exertion, and Kirito knew she had to sit down or her legs would give out beneath her, but he didn't want her to go, he wanted to stay like this, where he could see and talk to her.</p><p>"Asuna I'm sorry, but I have to shut down the terminal before it's compromised!" Kikouka hissed and started working on something on the keyboard.</p><p>Asuna nodded at him before she gave Kirito a watery smile and playfully blew him a kiss, "I love you, I promise I'll come get you."<br/>
Kirito nodded thickly, "I can't wait," he moved to speak more, "I-" but the screen shut off with the bang of a door opening. -love you too," he finished in a hoarse whisper before he crumpled to his knees and cried, feeling more hopeless than he had ever felt before. All the other times he got dragged into some crazy and dangerous adventure he had Asuna with him at his side, and now? Now she was gone. His other half and brother in all but blood were gone, both dead in this world and unable to reach him in the other.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Another part of "Little Moments" on Fanfiction.net</p></blockquote></div></div>
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